MSPs Jim Hume and John Lamont both said the findings of ITV Border's opinion poll on independence in the South of Scotland confirms what they expected from people in the area.

Their parties are both campaigning for a no vote in September's referendum. Our exclusive poll, by ComRes, showed 59% of voters in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway would currently vote against independence.

"This poll confirms what I've heard on the doorsteps across the ITV Border region - that the majority of people believe we are stronger when we share together across the UK family of nations.

"As a proud Scot within the UK I know that you don't need to be for independence to be for Scotland. As a Liberal Democrat I will continue to make the case for a stronger Scottish parliament within the UK family of nations."

– Jim Hume, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland

“This poll confirms that people in the South of Scotland share the same view as the rest of the country – that we are stronger and better off as part of the UK family.

“However, the most important vote is on September 18 and we will continue to argue the positive case for keeping Scotland part of one of the most successful economic and social unions in the world.”

However, the Scottish National Party MSP Joan McAlpine said she believed the South of Scotland would be better represented in an independent Scotland.

We are working very hard for a Yes vote, because the fact of the matter is that the needs and interests of the South of Scotland will be far better represented and acted upon in an independent Scottish Parliament than can ever be the case at Westminster - the South of Scotland has over 13 per cent of the number of MSPs at Holyrood, compared to just 1.2 per cent of the parliamentarians in Westminster."

– Joan McAlpine, Scottish National Party MSP for the South of Scotland

Better Together, the campaign against Scottish independence, said the findings of Representing Border's opinion poll in the South of Scotland was further evidence that Scots were not convinced by the benefits of independence.

59% of people in the South of Scotland would currently vote no to independence Credit: Danny Lawson/PA Archive

A spokesman said:

“This poll is further evidence that Alex Salmond’s White Paper manifesto for breaking up the UK has failed to convince Scots. Rather than give credible answers to people on key questions like currency, the nationalists chose to publish a wish list without a price list.

"By doing this all the nationalists have done is highlight what a huge leap into the unknown independence would be.

“It comes as no surprise that the people who live cheek by jowl with our friends, families and workmates south of the border do not want to turn them into foreigners. It is a clear message to Alex Salmond that people do not buy into his politics of division.”

A spokesman for Yes Scotland, the campaign for Scottish independence, said it was "up for the challenge" of convincing people in the South of Scotland to vote yes in the referendum in September.

Supporters of the Yes campaign in Edinburgh - but in the South of Scotland, 59% of voters said they would vote no Credit: Lesley Martin/PA Wire

The spokesman was responding to the findings of an exclusive poll by ComRes for Representing Border, which said the majority of people in the South of Scotland would currently vote no.

"As we move closer to the referendum we will, of course, be stepping up our information campaign because we know from our own detailed research that the more people learn about independence the more likely they are to vote Yes.

"We will be campaigning hard in the South of Scotland as we will be in every other part of the country.

"We know we still have a lot of hard work to do to convince more people that taking our own future into our own hands makes sense for Scotland as well as the rest of the UK, but we are very much up for the challenge.

"Recent polls have shown that momentum is with us and we are confident that we can achieve a Yes vote on September 18."

ITV Border has carried out the first referendum opinion poll to focus solely on the attitudes of voters in the South of Scotland. The polling company ComRes surveyed 1,000 people in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

It started by asking whether they intend to vote yes or no in the referendum on Scottish independence.

Our poll surveyed 1,000 voters in the South of Scotland Credit: David Cheskin/PA Archive

The first results from the poll will be revealed in the launch edition of Representing Border at 10:35pm on Tuesday, 7th January for Freeview viewers in the South of Scotland.

Representing Border is ITV Border's new political programme for the South of Scotland, covering the stories from Holyrood and Westminster that matter to people in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Representing Border will cover issues at Holyrood for the South of Scotland Credit: David Cheskin/PA Archive

The programme will be presented by our Political Editor Peter MacMahon.

It will be on air on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:35pm for Freeview viewers in the South of Scotland (while the Scottish Parliament is in session). Satellite viewers will need to turn their televisions to Freeview.